Cancer Care
Did you Know? Cancer Has a Price Tag That Many Canadians Can’t Afford
The out-of-pocket costs associated with cancer care are a major burden or impossibility for many Canadians. Something needs to change.
Despite living in a country with universal health care, many people with cancer in Canada are paying out of pocket to access the essential care they need. These costs can be associated with anything from medication and caregiver expenses to getting to appointments and other travel costs.
Earlier this year, the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) partnered with the Angus Reid Group to conduct a survey, which found that the out-of-pocket costs associated with a cancer diagnosis would be unbearable for many Canadians. Over two-thirds of respondents said that additional monthly expenses related to cancer care would make it difficult for them to manage financial necessities, and one-third said that they’d need to go into debt to pay for these expenses. Equally concerning, a second 2024 survey commissioned in partnership with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and conducted by Léger revealed that nearly one in four people in Canada reported skipping doses, splitting pills, or not filling prescriptions due to cost.
Closing the care gap
These challenges are compounded by the fact that, while we know cancer can affect anyone, it doesn’t affect everyone equally. There are deep disparities in cancer risk, care, and costs that can impact a person’s cancer treatment, outcomes, and overall experience. For underserved populations, like people living in rural and remote communities and families caring for young children facing cancer, the costs can be even greater.
We must do more to reduce out-ofpocket costs and close the care gap for people facing cancer. But it will take all of us working collectively to make a significant change.
How can you help? Get involved. Volunteer your time or donate to organizations like the CCS that are making life easier for those experiencing cancer. Offer a helping hand to someone who is going through cancer — a simple gesture like making a meal or caring for children can make a big difference. Lastly, use your voice. We need government to recognize the gaps in our system and work to reduce the out-ofpocket costs of cancer
THE CANADIAN PARTNERSHIP AGAINST CANCER: Improving Cancer Outcomes Across Canada
Not all people in Canada have equitable access to cancer care. Our national cancer strategy is working to change that.
Anne Papmehl
Cancer outcomes are better when people have access to high-quality cancer prevention, screening, and treatment. However, factors like geography and socio-economic status can pose barriers to accessing these services.
The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (the Partnership) is funded by the federal government to be the steward of the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control (the Strategy). To implement the Strategy, the Partnership works with partners across Canada on a broad range of initiatives and helps to accelerate the uptake of new cancer advances and innovations in the healthcare system.
The Strategy was originally drafted in 2006 and was refreshed in 2019, following consultations with over 7,500 Canadians. The result was an ambitious 10-year action plan (2019–2029) outlining eight priorities in Canada’s cancer system.
It takes a society to change the future of cancer forever. Add your signature to our letter by visiting cancer.ca/ costofcancer
Continue reading on page 2
Andrea Seale CEO, Canadian Cancer Society
Andrea Seale, CEO, Canadian Cancer Society
Q&A with Dr. Craig Earle
Mediaplanet recently spoke with Dr. Craig Earle, CEO of the Partnership, to understand why and how health equity is key in advancing Canada’s cancer strategy.
Anne Papmehl
take action on Peoples-specific, self-determined cancer priorities. Through these funded initiatives, the Partnership has invested over $24 million and engaged more than 130 Indigenous governments, organizations, and community partners. More than 500 communities are expected to benefit from these projects.
What are some success stories of your partner-driven work?
How is the Partnership helping to achieve health equity for all people in Canada?
We collaborate with over 700 partners, such as cancer agencies, health ministries, Indigenous governments, organizations, and communities. One area where we are especially active is with Indigenous organizations as part of our commitment to reconciliation. Since 2018, the Partnership has supported 29 partners across all 13 provinces and territories to
Why is a pan-Canadian approach critical in making a meaningful difference in cancer outcomes?
Taking a pan-Canadian approach not only helps accelerate the progress being made in Canada on cancer prevention and care, it’s also a better way to share knowledge and promising practices across the many different areas of health and wellness systems that intersect with this work.
One is British Columbia introducing the new self-sampling cervical screening test for the human papilloma virus (HPV), which is the primary cause of cervical cancer. This has many positive equity implications. People without a primary care provider or who live in a remote community can still be screened, and studies have shown it’s much more acceptable to certain cultural groups and to people who have suffered sexual trauma.
Another example is a recently announced lung cancer screening program in Nova Scotia, which will also include smoking cessation services, and was developed with deep involvement of key communities in the province. We’ve also supported the implementation of smoking cessation programs in
Redefining Cervical Cancer Screening with HPV At-Home Test Kits
Advances in cervical cancer screening technology make it possible to self-collect sample for HPV testing at home, which could help in early detection of cervical cancer.
Abigail Cukier
Seventy per cent of sexually active Canadians will be infected with Human papillomavirus (HPV) during their lifetime.1
While most people clear the virus, about 10 to 20 per cent will have persistent HPV.2 Persistent HPV infection of the cervix, if left untreated, causes 95 per cent of cervical cancers.3
But most people don’t even know they have HPV, which is why cervical screening is so important.
While a Pap test looks for abnormal changes in cervical cells, the HPV test looks for the virus, which could later cause cell changes in the cervix.
Game-changer in HPV testing accessibility
LifeLabs, Canada’s leading medical laboratory, is launching the LifeLabs HPV At-Home Collection Kit, which allows individuals to collect their sample from the comfort and privacy of their home. This increases access to testing
for people who are unable to take off work for a medical appointment, who do not have a primary healthcare provider, or who have cultural beliefs around modesty, language barriers, or discomfort with Pap tests.
Making the process easier and improving earlier detection can lead to better outcomes. “HPV testing and HPV immunization have been valuable innovations in the prevention, early detec tion, and management of the precursors of cervical cancers,” says Dr. Nathan Roth of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Toronto. “The results of HPV testing help determine what steps should be taken and what treatments to give to prevent cervical cancer from occurring.”
almost all cancer centres across Canada, as evidence shows that quitting smoking can improve the effectiveness of cancer treatment, with improved survival rates and reduced side effects.
With continued investment and support in initiatives like these, we believe we can achieve the priorities and goals outlined in our national cancer strategy, and make Canada a leader when it comes to cancer prevention and care.
For more information about the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, visit partnershipagainstcancer.ca
article is sponsored by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer
How BeiGene Is Breaking Down Barriers to Cancer Care
Access to cancer care comes through BeiGene’s approach to affordability and innovation.
BeiGene Canada is challenging the status quo of the traditional biopharmaceutical industry. As the Canadian arm of global biotech firm BeiGene Inc., this company of Canadians is making a distinct mark by focusing on ensuring affordable access to innovative oncology drugs.
BeiGene entered Canada in 2021, and its impact has been swift. Health Canada’s authorization of BeiGene’s BTK inhibitor drug for five blood cancers within the last three years stands out significantly. This underscores the company’s entry in the Canadian cancer community and its commitment to addressing the diverse needs of cancer patients. BeiGene plans to bring more cancer drugs to Canada and is actively reshaping cancer care accessibility.
BeiGene believes in universal
access to life-changing medicines for as many people as possible.
Emphasizing the principle of “patients first,” BeiGene develops high-quality, novel therapies to help cancer patients everywhere, in every country, going beyond geographical boundaries. This is a major investment, but BeiGene knows that newer, better, and safer drugs only help when patients can readily access them.
This perspective fuels the company's collaborations with global cancer communities, providing support to patients, clinicians, caregivers, and families in the collective battle against cancer.
BeiGene’s mission extends beyond drug development. The BeiGene Canada Fund for Research and Innovation was introduced last year to support and enhance research and ingenuity. The initia-
tive was designed to overcome current challenges and breathe life into new ideas that could improve cancer care in a meaningful way.
BeiGene also recognizes that a patient’s mental well-being is integral to achieving quality cancer care. As a company, it’s dedicated to raising awareness, encouraging thoughtful conversations, and contributing resources so that all those impacted by cancer have the tools they need on their journey to wellness.
While BeiGene is still a newcomer in comparison to drug industry stalwarts, its approach signals a sense of urgency in engaging the health care community and all stakeholders. BeiGene wants to drive the change
that’s needed. As a disruptor, BeiGene is not merely contributing to the conversation — it’s out to reshape the narrative, offering hope and injecting innovation into the fight against cancer.
For more information, visit beigene.ca
This article is supported by BeiGene Canada
From the Lab to Clinical Trials Accelerating Breakthrough Immunotherapies
BioCanRx is Canada’s Immunotherapy Network. Composed of academic health centres, scientists, clinicians, trainees and partners across the country, we connect the expertise and infrastructure to fast-track breakthrough immunotherapies from the lab to clinical trials to benefit cancer patients. By filling critical capacity gaps to conduct world class translational cancer research, BioCanRx has enabled 12 novel immunotherapy trials and has the support of more than 50 cancer charities and 38 private sector companies.
Helping Patients Manage the Noise When Facing a Cancer Diagnosis
For kidney cancer patients, the future is bright as stakeholders work together to help build support options for each patient’s cancer journey.
Gordon Lewis was diagnosed with kidney cancer by fluke. While in the hospital for a fractured pelvis, doctors noticed something unusual during his CT scan. Days later, Lewis was given his diagnosis: renal cell carcinoma — the most common type of kidney cancer.
Like Lewis, most patients diagnosed with kidney cancer experience their diagnosis incidentally while being treated or tested for something else. The disease is particularly elusive,
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often not exhibiting signs and symptoms until a substantial tumour has already developed.
Kidney cancer is the 10th most diagnosed cancer in Canada and this year, 8,000 will be diagnosed across the country.
“There’s no demonstrated screening for kidney cancer, which adds to the complexity around diagnosis,” explains Dr. Aly-Khan Lalani, Assistant Professor at McMaster University, specialist in genitourinary cancers, and co-host of the podcast The View on GU. While it’s most often diagnosed during other routine procedures — like an X-ray
Friesen
— some possible signs and symptoms of kidney cancer can include low back pain or a mass on one side, swelling of the ankles and legs, and hypertension.
Managing an overwhelming diagnosis
Kidney Cancer Canada is a national community of patients, caregivers, and medical professionals aiming to provide support and resources for those going through their own journey with the dis-
Newly diagnosed patients will have the worst-case scenario in their heads, and that’s not often the case.
ease. “Newly diagnosed patients will have the worst-case scenario in their heads, and that’s not often the case,” says Christine Collins, Executive Director of Kidney Cancer Canada. “We’re here to help.” If detected in the early stages, the five-year survival rate for kidney cancer is high, but for the 30 per cent living with advanced or late-stage kidney cancer, it’s much lower. Education and awareness are key.
Gordon Lewis, Patient
The organization supports patients and their caregivers as they tackle their individual kidney cancer journeys, arming them with the tools and resources they need to feel educated when making decisions regarding care.
“Sometimes you just need to talk to someone who’s been there and gone through it,” says Collins, noting that while patients are key, caregivers are also an important part of a cancer journey and require customized support of their own.
From one-on-one patient support and treatment decision guides to webinars and a video knowledge library filmed with advice straight from kidney cancer specialists themselves, Kidney Cancer Canada knows the role that reliable, credible resources can have on easing the burden for kidney cancer patients and their loved ones.
Staying informed and staying positive
Lewis was 58 when he was diagnosed and credits the incredible advancements in kidney cancer care to not only helping him to survive with the disease, but thrive. “While kidney cancer isn’t curable, it’s definitely treatable,” he says, “and many of the current treatments are showing strong efficacy.”
Five years after his diagnosis, Lewis’ recent CT scans have come back clear — his cancer has not progressed. While optimistic, Lewis notes that each cancer journey is difficult in its own way — both physically and mentally. “It’s important to stay positive — there are going to be dark times — but you have to focus on the good,” he says. “Your
oncologist, doctor, and family become your biggest cheerleaders.”
Lewis relied heavily on the resources and supports available through Kidney Cancer Canada during his own cancer journey. “When you’re first diagnosed, everyone you speak with is suddenly an expert,” he says. “It can feel like there’s a lot of noise. You need information that’s relevant to you.” Through patient forums, chat functions, and webinars, Lewis was able to keep himself up to date on innovations relevant to the kidney cancer space, allowing for him to have open, two-way dialogue about his treatment with his medical team and to play a role in his own care path.
Playing a role in your treatment journey
Kidney Cancer Canada is just one organization working toward a brighter future for kidney cancer patients. Continued research, however, is critical to this vision, and as Collins notes, when it comes to treatment, what works for one patient may not work for another. “Kidney cancer is unique,” she says. “It can be quite a technique to find the right treatment.” Optimistically, however, Dr. Lalani notes, “We’ve seen remarkable advancements in understanding what drives kidney cancer.”
The treatment options for kidney cancer have evolved tremendously in recent years, but it will continue to take a village to further innovation in the field. “The number of people living with kidney cancer continues to rise, but the survival rate has
The number of people living with kidney cancer continues to rise, but the survival rate has dramatically improved thanks to advancements in care.
dramatically improved thanks to advancements in care,” explains Corinne Barr, Business Unit Head of Oncology at pharmaceutical company Ipsen Canada. This teamwork extends to those working on the frontlines within the medical field. “Over the last 20 years, there has been a network of Canadian health care providers singularly focused on understanding kidney cancer and optimizing care for patients. This unique collegial environment is helping raise the bar for Canadians diagnosed with the disease,” Dr. Lalani says.
While innovation is critical, it’s equally important for patients to have access to resources and support — like those offered through patient groups like Kidney Cancer Canada — to fully understand the options available to them, so they can make informed decisions when it comes to treatment. “When patients engage more with their treatment, they feel more empowered in their treatment journey overall,” says Barr.
Head of Oncology,
To learn more about kidney cancer, your risk, and to access support and expertled resources available, visit kidneycancercanada.ca
Dr. Aly-Khan Lalani
Assistant Professor, McMaster University
Christine Collins Executive Director, Kidney Cancer Canada
Corinne Barr Business Unit
Ipsen Canada
What Makes Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
One of the World's Top 5 Cancer Research Centres
By pushing the envelope and not accepting the status quo, The Princess Margaret is making research discoveries that are beyond the cutting edge.
Anne Papmehl
Cancer was once thought to be an incurable disease, with surgery the only treatment option. Today, in Canada, the five-year survival rate for all cancers is 64 per cent, compared to 50 per cent in the 1980s and only 25 per cent in the 1940s.
Public education and early detection screening programs have helped to increase survival rates, as have technological innovations and sci-
Dr.
Director, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre & VP Cancer, University Health Network
Mediaplanet recently spoke with Dr. Keith Stewart, Director, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and VP Cancer, University Health Network, to learn more about some of the innovations that help make The Princess Margaret a leader in cancer research and care.
What’s new in early detection?
We recently launched a clinical study for a simple, liquid biopsy, which is basically a blood test, that
entific breakthroughs at institutions like Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, one of the world’s top 5 cancer research centres.
Still, cancer remains a major threat and leading cause of death. In Canada, one in four people will die of cancer and two in five will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. As our population ages and people live longer, we can expect cancer rates to increase, making ongoing research and research funding a top priority.
can detect early signs of 50 different cancers and the organ from which they arise, sometimes before they appear. These allow us to catch more cancers earlier and in a less invasive way.
Another area is in genetic screening. New evidence suggests that having been born at increased genetic risk is found in about 10 per cent of cancer cases, so we’re expanding our inherited risk genetic testing to all new breast cancer patients at The Princess Margaret as part of a new program, the first of its kind in Canada. This will enable clinicians to identify the most effective treatments for individual breast cancer patients as well as identify higher-risk family members.
What’s occurring in cancer surgery and how does it benefit patients?
Surgery is still very much the mainstay in treating many cancers found in solid organs, such as the lungs, prostate, and colon. This year our surgeons acquired new advanced surgical robotics which let them accomplish some North
American firsts in colorectal and gynaecologic surgery. These robots make it easier for surgeons to operate on hard-to-reach parts of the body, while patients experience less pain, blood loss, and shorter recovery times.
What about the area of medical oncology?
Our focus is reducing dependence on traditional chemotherapy which has many toxicities, so our advances here are twofold. The first is in molecular targeting or precision oncology, which is studying the genome of the cancer cell and determining which therapies will work best for that cancer. The second is immunotherapy, which is essentially harnessing the body’s own immune system to attack the cancer using antibody therapies or, increasingly, cellular therapies such as Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell (CAR-T) therapy. We’re already using CAR-T for blood cancers like lymphoma and myeloma, and our researchers are studying its effectiveness against other cancers like melanoma.
The Princess Margaret has the largest single site radiation medicine program in North America, and one of the best radiation medicine programs in the world.
Radiation is still used in about 50 per cent of cancer cases. How is The Princess Margaret leading in radiation treatment?
The Princess Margaret has the largest single site radiation medicine program in North America, and one of the best radiation medicine programs in the world. This year we’ve added HyperSight imaging, making us one of only three centres in the world to use this technology. HyperSite provides a clearer image of the area that’s being radiated and therefore a more precise way to deliver radiation.
Why is donor support so important?
This is an incredibly exciting time in cancer research and care. In the last 10 years things have dramatically improved in early diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. We couldn’t do it without the support of donors who help fund our research and help drive important innovations.
To learn more, please visit thepmcf.ca
This article is sponsored by The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation
Keith Stewart
IPSENCourage
Cancer patients need our best
At Ipsen Oncology, we believe in realizing potential. Whether it’s discovering innovative medications or helping patients make the most of treatment, we are passionate about making a difference. That’s why we work tirelessly to bring innovation and help secure broad access to our medications – so that Canadian cancer patients can have the opportunity to realize their potential.
